Frankie Murphy only took out his rider’s licence in March after turning 17, but he has wasted little time in gaining his first success.
Having finished second three times, including in each of his opening two rides at Stradbally and Necarne in April, he road Breaking Silence to gain a narrow victory over her stablemate Cant Touch This in the four-year-old mares’ maiden at Ballingarry.
Name: Frankie Murphy
Age: 17
From: Skibereen, Cork
First Winner: Breaking Silence – Ballingarry
How did you get started with horses?
I don’t come from a racing background but my mother and my grandfather would have been into showing and buying and selling horses and ponies at home. It went from there really.
It was my mother that taught me how to ride, I never did Pony Club or anything like that, I learned it all at home.
I went to Jason O’Reilly and James Dullea when I was about 14 or 15 riding out at weekends.
Was race-riding something that had always interested you?
I always had an interest in getting into race riding and point-to-points seemed to be more enjoyable, so I said that would be the way I would go.
It was Jason that put me in contact with Harley Dunne and I moved there after I finished my Junior Cert last summer. I wasn’t able to take out my licence until I turned 17, but I was able to get that in March.
Harley has given me plenty of chances. The main thing is he has been letting me up on the four-year-old’s, I can’t complain about that at all.
What is it like working for Harley?
It is great craic. Everyone in the yard is very good to me, you have a good laugh with them, and Harley is always educating me every day. I have learnt loads from himself and Tiernan [Power].
When you are riding upsides the two of them every day you wouldn’t be long learning.
You had your first winner on Breaking Silence – was it expected?
I went to Ballingarry happy enough. Harley had another mare in the race as well. They were both nice mares and had worked well at home. My mare liked the Good ground, so I knew in the back of my head that she had a chance alright, but Tiernan’s mare had a chance too. We just managed to get to the front.
What are your ambitions for next season?
Hopefully I would be able to ride a few more winners, I would be delighted if I could get a few more four-year-old winners from Harley. Hopefully he will keep putting me up.
